Taikonauts from Shenzhou-6 spacecraft arrive in Beijing

Taikonauts Nie Haisheng (L) and Fei Junlong wave to people at the gate of the special plane when they arrived in Beijing, Oct. 17, 2005.

The special plane carrying the two taikonauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng from the Shenzhou-6 spacecraft arrived at the western suburbs airport of China's capital at 9:28 Monday morning.

Chinese National Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan, accompanied by other senior officials including Qiao Qingchen, commander of PLA's air force, and Chen Bingde, chief commander of China's manned space program, met the two taikonauts at the airport.

Fei and Nie were greeted by flowers and cheerful claps at the airport.

The two landed safely in the northern China grasslands earlier Monday morning.

Shortly after their landing, the two taikonauts went through a medical checkup and had a light meal with chocolate and Chinese herbal tea served in a first-aid helicopter.

Both said they are satisfied with the working conditions during the 115.32-hour space voyage which covered 3.25 million kilograms.

Source: Xinhua